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XMR Returns for the Rumble on the Reservoir!
While some people love the sound of skis through fresh Colorado champagne powder, a whole other breed prepares all summer and fall for winter recreation of another kind. The whine of a finely tuned motor, the crunch of a track on ice, and the sub-zero winter air rushing past your helmet are what they look forward to. This year, Xtreme Mountain Racing is back, bringing this cadre of winter sport loving maniacs back to the ice of the Walden Reservoir for another season of vintage snowmobile racing. Last year they tried to crack the ice, but now they are here to rumble!
Rumble on the Reservoir: Vintage Snowmobile Racing at Its Best
Lots of people have a soft spot in their heart for vintage snowmobiles. They might remember a time when they were riding open fields of powder or carving trails through the high country on their sleds. Back at a time when snowmobiles were blocky, noisy, and some just flat-out ugly as a mud fence.
Current snowmobiles often look more like high-performance supercars and carry price tags to match. Like any good hotrod or motorsport culture, the real enthusiasts get more joy out of modifying or rebuilding to compete with flashy modern counterparts. The XMR racers run a lot of their sleds based on the potential they see in them. Why shouldn’t a 40 year old Ski-doo or Arctic Cat run 80 mph on a 3/8 mile track? Lack of imagination is really the only thing that holds these machines back. You need to see what these teams are capable of doing for yourself to really believe it.
Off to the Races
It’s not only sleds, but also motorcycles, side-by-sides, ATVs, and other machines that take to the ice. The XMR vintage snowmobile races have nearly as many races as they do categories of machines. Stock, pro-stock, and custom super-mod. Engine displacement is the main way to separate the machines into different motos. The lower end features 330cc and even smaller kid sleds. 440, 500, and 600cc classifications make up the brunt of snowmobile motos, with the 500 super-mods often being the fastest, clocking high 80mphs on the straights of the 3/8 mile oval track.
XMR uses International Snowmobile Racingrules to regulate track size, enforce safety, and determine qualifications to even race. Participants and their crew are held to these rigorous standards to ensure the safety of racers as well as spectators.
A Bucket List Experience You Can't Miss
Eight racers in each class start with a preliminary moto—usually on the Friday afternoon before the main event on Saturday. Two competing motos and one main event throughout the day on Saturday. Last year 60 racers ran and this year even more are expected to face off in 23 classes. The plowed track and berm keep sleds on the ice and spectators at the best viewpoint to see the races.
You won't find racing like this almost anywhere else. Definitely not in a ski resort town, fighting traffic, and apres-ski crowds looking for protein lattes. This is American racing at its best--on ice!
Doing It for the Love of Racing
The winner of each class gets $400 in prize money, and an Ironman trophy is awarded to the rider with the most points overall. The prizes will be handed out at the River Rock in Walden at the end of the races. Mostly riders race for prestige and the love of the sport. Other prizes include hoodies, hockey jerseys, banners, photo packages, coffee mugs, and other gear.
Jan 18 Races
We’ve already had one weekend of vintage snowmobile and OHV racing this year. In spite of bitter cold weather conditions, the smell of snowmobile exhaust was heavy on the frozen surface of Walden Reservoir that weekend. Preliminaries were completed Friday afternoon and by the morning of Saturday, Jan 18, the racers were primed and ready to rumble! It was a great opening weekend with lots of participants and spectators coming out in spite of the weather. Once you see what these machines are capable of, your adrenaline will cut the chill of just about any day on the ice.
Feb 1st and 15th
February is prime racing season, with milder weather, longer days, and typically clear blue skies for a day of playing in the snow. This year, XMR will take to the ice on February 1 and 15th, packing the shortest month of the year with some of the best winter motorsport action all year long. Side by sides with spikes and stock tires are a big contender this year, as well as vintage motocross bikes in varying classes. Whichever weekend you choose—why not choose both?—are guaranteed to bring you some thrills in winter motorsports.
March 1st
With spring on the way and the ice getting thinner, March 1 is the last run of XMR on Walden Reservoir. If you are looking for things to do in Colorado during the winter, there’s still plenty of time for some high-octane fueled racing on the ice. Jackson County provides a unique location with the right weather conditions, wide open spaces, and local enthusiasm you won’t find anywhere else. For winter activities in Colorado, it simply can’t be beat!
Plan Your Trip Today!
Xtreme Mountain Racing is a local favorite, with teams coming in from all over Wyoming, Colorado, and beyond. It’s not unusual for hotels and vacation rentals to get booked solid for these weekends, so it’s important to get your reservations in early for the remaining weekends of the race dates.
Book your lodging in a hotel, VRBO, or AirBnB vacation rental property in Walden, CO. Choose from a wide selection of vacation rentals, ranging from quaint to unique, and anywhere between single occupancy or large groups of visitors. Rooms will sell out fast, so book your stay now!
Check outthese listings for other places in Jackson County!
Head to North Park for the Best Winter Outdoors Experience!
When other places in Colorado talk about winter activities, there’s usually the high cost of lift tickets, expensive lodging, and lots of traffic just to go up and down a hill. In North Park, we don’t let the weather get in the way of serious motorsports. XMR brings the same kind of energy as the original racers of yesteryear with home built sleds, quads, and anything else that goes Zoom over the ice.
In a world where pro sponsorships and corporate teams dominate motorsports and often take the joy out of it, XMR is still running strong and leading the pack with home-grown racing. You won’t see many of these vintage snowmobiles anywhere else, much less tuned and ready to race in some of the most challenging climate in the Rocky Mountains.
All racing photos courtesy of Sally Dixon Anders. Thank you for all you do!
Just a Few Days Left to Win Tickets!
Visit North Park CO and the North Park Area Chamber of Commerce are running a contest for lucky winners to receive free entry to theLake John February Ice Fishing Tournament. February 1st is the deadline to enter.
Adult entries are $60 and youth entries are $20. If you haven’t participated in the Ice Fishing Tournament, here is your chance to get all access and compete against other anglers for prize money! January winners took home $1500 for first place, $1000 for second, and $500 for third, with hourly cash prizes given to the biggest fish of the hour as well as ice fishing gear!
It's another great way to spend the day on the ice when you are looking for awesome things to do in the winter.
One entry per person only, please. Winner will be notified by email and the prize must be claimed within 24 hours or tickets will be given to another winner selected at random. So please check your inbox and spam folder after entering!
